Aafke Ytsma (1988) is a Dutch artist currently based in Leipzig and Leeuwarden. She regularly undertakes projects at home and abroad. In 2014 she organised the project "Walk of Art" a solitary hike from the North of the Netherlands to Nice (FR) and painted the landscape on het way. She recently return from Japan where she stayed for half a year studying Mokuhanga and to collect impressions at Fukuoka farm.

Solo exhibitions
2022  Museum Belvédère AFSLAG BLV, Heerenveen, "Moments in Between"
2019  Melklokaal, Heerenveen, "Settings"
2017  Museum Belvédère, Heerenveen, Art Noord, melklokaal stand
2014  Stânfries X, Leeuwarden, “Walk of Art”

Group exhibitions
2022  Hockdruckpartner, Leipzig (DE), "Seven year it(ch)"
2021  Melklokaal, Heerenveen, "Seven year it(ch)"
2021  Kunsthalle Hillsbach, Hillsbach (DE), "Elements"
2021  Hockdruckpartner, Leipzig (DE), Hochdruck Trinational "RevierWechsel"
2021  THALER Originalgrafik, Leipzig (DE), "Lange nicht Gesehen"
2020  Koninklijk Paleis, Amsterdam, "Koninklijke Prijs voor Vrije Schilderkunst 2020"
2020  Museum für Druckkunst, Leipzig (DE), Let's print 3
2020  Melklokaal, Heerenveen, "Immuun"

2019  Museum Belvédère, Heerenveen, "Art Noord", melklokaal stand
2019  Museum Belvédère, Heerenveen, Presentatie jong talent
2019  Melklokaal, Heerenveen, Group exhibition "Lust(rum), 5 jaar melklokaal!"
2018  Museum Belvédère, Heerenveen, "Art Noord" melklokaal stand
2018  Melklokaal, Heerenveen, "Friese milkshake"
2018  Kunstruimte H47, Leeuwarden, "Fanzine Genius van Leeuwarden"
2017  Municipal gallery Pafos (CY), “In Search of Common Myth”
2017  Melklokaal, Heerenveen “A portrait show” 
2017  Museum Arnhem, Arnhem “In de geest van Pierre Janssen…" 
2016  Kunstruimte Wagemans, Beetsterzwaag “The sitters”
2015  De Fabriek, Ried "Volledig 2.0"
2011  Inspectie voor de Gezondheidszorg, Zwolle
2011  Extrapool, Nijmegen, “Destillaat”

Grants & Awards
2023  Project Grant Artist, Mondriaan Fonds
2023  Contribution AIR, Dutch embassy of Japan
2022  Talentontwikkeling Gemeente Leeuwarden, work grant
2021  Winner open-call Corona poster design, VHDG & Fries Museum
2021  Japanese print material grant, Tijl fonds, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds
2021  Corona overbrugging, Mondriaan Fonds
2020  Stipendium, Stichting Reisma Van den Burg
2020  Nominated, Koninklijke Prijs voor Vrije Schilderkunst
2020  Project Grant Artist, Mondriaan Fonds
2019  Jury prize Art Noord, Museum Belvédère
2019  Talentontwikkeling Gemeente Leeuwarden, work grant
2014  Coba de Groot, partial grant for the exhibition "Walk of Art"

Residencies
2023  AIR Mokuhanga Innovation Laboratory, Katsuyama, (JPN)
2020  Working period in Leipzig with support of Mondriaan Fonds (DE)
2018  Cultural capital of Europe 2018, Leeuwarden, "Fanzine Genius van Leeuwarden"
2017  Cultural capital of Europe 2017, Pafos (CY), “In Search of Common Myth”

Publications
2021  Hochdruck Trinational "RevierWechsel", catalogue Exhibition
2020  Let's print in Leipzig, catalogue Exhibition
2018  Fanzine: Genius van Leeuwarden, RISO-uitgave met 8 (inter)nationale kunstenaars
2014  Walk of Art, Catalogue, ISBN 978 9491276248

Education
2007-2011 ArtEZ hogeschool voor de kunsten, Zwolle, the Netherlands
2021 Guest studentship at the painter Meisterklasse Annette Schröter
2021 Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst, Leipzig (DE)